Failsworth brings together monuments, industrial history and paths along the Rochdale Canal. When choosing accommodation in Failsworth, it can help to first decide what you want to focus on during your stay: historic buildings or green connections. Both reveal different sides of the town.
Remembrance and Architectural History
The Failsworth War Memorial was unveiled on 10 June 1923 and commemorates those who died in the First World War. This specific date places the memorial in the history of the 20th century; other buildings in Failsworth date back further or tell the story of later changes.
The Roman Catholic Church of St Mary the Immaculate Conception is a Grade II listed church. It was built between 1963 and 1967 to designs by Tadeusz Lesisz. Its artistic features include high-quality cast-stone reliefs, a suspended aluminium statue of the Virgin Mary and a large-scale mosaic in the sanctuary. Its construction period and features make it a distinct chapter in local architectural history.
Medlock Hall, in the Daisy Nook area of Failsworth, is a 17th-century house. A collar-beam roof truss in the building probably dates from the 16th century: the house and the older structural element therefore have different dates, rather than sharing the same construction period. Failsworth Town Hall was built in 1880. Taken together, these dates span the period from the older house through the town hall to the church built in the 1960s.
Conservation Area and Commercial History
The Failsworth Pole Conservation Area was designated in 1988 and covers 7.93 hectares. The Rocks lie five feet below the present-day road, in the centre of the conservation area. The buildings, originally constructed as houses in the 18th century, are also the birthplace of author and poet Ben Brierley, who is described as a freethinker. Here, a precise topographical detail meets a connection to local literary history.
In the 18th century, hat-making and silk weaving developed into important trades in Failsworth. At first, both were carried out as home industries in Wrigley Head and Pole Lane. These places link economic history to specific parts of Failsworth and add the work that also shaped the town to the story told by its monuments and individual buildings.
Canal and Green Connections
Walmsley's House and Warehouse was built in 1804 for local industrialist Thomas Walmsley. The canal warehouse combined a grocery shop and a home; its construction was linked to the opening of the adjacent Rochdale Canal. The canal opened to Manchester in 1804 and was the first trans-Pennine canal route. The building and waterway belong to the same historical period and offer two different perspectives on local industrial history.
The Rochdale Canal provides a walking connection to Failsworth Town Centre. Wrigley Head is connected to the canal at the boundary between Failsworth and New Moston. These are two specific points of reference for getting your bearings: a connection to the town centre and one at the boundary between the named places.
The Moston Brook valley forms a green corridor between Failsworth and Moston and is considered a refuge for wildlife. Another way to experience the landscape is National Cycle Network Route 66: it follows the towpath along the Rochdale Canal to Moston Brook on an easy, flat cycle ride. As route conditions can change, it is advisable to check the latest information before setting out. This makes it possible to distinguish between a walking connection to the town centre and a cycle ride with Moston Brook as its destination.
Discover more destinations: Hyde, Bolton, Horwich, Heald Green, Heywood, Standish, Golborne, Sale
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